Dark Roulette
by FlamingPhoenix202
Summary: Hotch and Emily team up to investigate a murder in Connecticut and soon are faced against a psychotic killer. But when something unexpected happens, they're put in a situation that will change their lives forever. H/P.
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Note: This is my first Criminal Minds fanfic, so please bare with me! Flashbacks are an add-on to the episode In birth and Death. Detective Alexandra Halls is mine. Hotch, Prentiss, and related characters do not belong to me. But if they did..._

_Oh, and a note to Derek Morgan fans: He unfortunatly is not in this story at all. I don't hate him, I just couldn't find a way to put him in here! Lets just say he's on vacation..._

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><p>"<strong>The beauty of friendship, so deep and nurturing with infinite laughter, is that it comes with no price and shall always be carried in your heart. –Jenny Acasio<strong>

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><p>=Flashback=<p>

_He looked around the empty house, quiet with its barren walls and lifeless rooms. It didn't even look like his anymore. The bookshelf was empty, containing nothing but cobwebs. The kitchen was stripped clean; all the former dishes that made home in the cupboards now somehow gone in the blink of an eye. And his son's room-or, what used to be his son's room, looked quite lonely without the colourful toys and giant stuffed animals. It was as if he had entered a whole new world._

_He walked into the kitchen and found a forgotten glass. Rummaging through the alcohol cabinet he found his favorite whiskey bottle and filled the glass, hoping to wash all his feelings away with the amber liquid. Tossing his jacket on the dinner table, he made his way into the living room and took a seat on the couch. He knew this was going to happen eventually. Haley always complained that he was never there, like a ghost. That she was the one to do all the work and that he was never there for his son. And now, he would never see him again. But he couldn't just leave his family at the BAU._

_He gulped down the last of his whiskey and poured himself another. He wished it didn't have to end like this. A sudden wave of loneliness washed over him. He needed to talk to someone. Someone that would understand. He reached over to the coffee table, picked up the phone, and dialed a number. He waited as it rang. And rang. He hoped that she would pick up, and fortunately she did._

"_Yeah?"_

"_Emily, this is Hotch."_

=Present=

"So, what's our case?" Emily Prentiss asked, leaning back in her seat. Clouds flew past her window like whisps of light cream, telling her that they were at a fairly high altitude.

"Two bodies were found at their own house in east Hartford, Connecticut, later identified as married couple Lee and May Lynn Ang. They both suffered multiple stab wounds all over their bodies, but not an equal amount. This suggests disorganization, but it's actually the opposite as no fingerprints were found at the scene." Spencer Reid replied. He began to pass out photos of the crime scene to the team. "One notable thing is that they were both only wearing their underwear with their clothes nowhere to be found. This may suggest that the unsub is psychotic, which might derive from their-"

"Thank you, Reid." Aaron Hotchner interrupted. He then turned to JJ. "Do we have a profile for the UnSub?" Jennifer Jareau, legs crossed and her elbow resting on the seat arm that she shared with David Rossi, shook her head.

"Like Spence said, the Unsub could be Phychotic. But right now, the possibilities vary. The Unsub could have ties to the family, are against Asians, or this could be totally random. We can't know for sure until we gather more information." She explained.

"And we're going to find out just that."

"Yes. While Reid, Rossi, and I investigate the crime scene, you and Emily will go to this address-" She handed him a document with an address highlighted on it. "-and question the victim's son and his Aunt and Uncle, who are left as his legal guardians."

"It's a shame that the boy is left without his parents." Rossi commented. He seemed to be staring intently at the photos of the bodies. They all wished that it was anyone else than someone with a child, especially a boy who was 13, and old enough to understand. And they wouldn't stop until they found the man who killed his parents.

-()-

As Emily was stepping off the plane, JJ came up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder. She spun around to see her and Rossi with huge grins on their faces.

"_Good Luck_." Rossi said with a wink. She rolled her eyes and playfully punched his arm. She knew they were just teasing her about going solo with Hotch, the one of all people who they suspected her to be attracted to. They were right, of course, but she would never let them know it. Her attraction for the handsome agent had grown over the past years, and she couldn't deny any feelings she had for him. When she first entered his office and shook his hand, she was truly smitten by his appearance. Cleanly pressed suit, mysterious dark brown hair, and deep, intriguing eyes that could make any woman fall.

But what she didn't know was that Rossi's message would mean much more then what it did now.


	2. Chapter 2

=Flashback=

"_Dammit, Hotch! It's fucking two in the morning!" Her voice was sharp and annoyed. "You better not tell me that I have to go back to the bullpen already!" _

"_Haley, she-she's gone." He explained, ignoring her tone. He sounded depressed, barely whispering into the phone. Her eyes widened and she eased a bit, realizing that he wasn't looking for a tired, bitchy woman who could care less about anything he had to say. _

"_Oh, god. Your wife… left you? Shit, I'm so sorry for yelling at you." He nodded to no one in particular and took another sip of his whiskey. _

"_That's fine."_

"_Alright. You just stay there. I'm coming right over."_

"_Wait Emily, you don't-" He was cut off as the phone line suddenly went dead. She was there within minutes, 15 to be exact. He let her in without complaint._

"_Would you like a drink?" He asked as she was hanging her coat on the hanger. _

"_Sure. I'll have what you're having."_

_She took the glass of whiskey from him and sat beside him on the couch._

"_She took Jack, Emily. Why do I have to be such a damn workaholic?" He grumbled, burying his hands into his face. She listened to him attentively, taking a drink of whiskey. She hadn't had it in a while. The liquid burned her throat as she took a sip, but she didn't mind._

"_I don't know why I didn't take that transfer. I wanted to spend more time with Jack. I wanted to spend more time with Haley! …I guess she was just tired of me not ever being there when I should have. She doesn't understand how much my job means to me. I don't blame her for leaving, though. I would have done the same thing." She had never seen him like this. He had always been so reserved, so professional. Now he seemed so frail, like one simple gesture would cause him to crumble. She felt so sorry for him. _

_And for some reason, as he lifted his head to look at her through deep, saddened eyes, she felt some sort of connection between them. A spark, of sorts. A connection that she would never forget._

=Present=

The car ride was rather quiet; pure silence for 20 minutes that seemed more like forever. As Hotch went over some papers and Emily drove, the only sounds were that of rustling sheets and the whirr of the car wheels as they turned. They pulled up to a small, two floor house with calming blue siding and a cute frame to the doors and windows. As they got out of the car and stopped to admire the quaint little building, Hotch let out a long sigh and seemed to be lost deep in thought.

"Hotch?" She questioned, coming up beside him on the sidewalk.

"I was just thinking about how the boy is left without his parents. I can't imagine how Jack would feel if he was caught in the same situation." He replied calmly. He always tried to stay at a professional level with all his missions, but he couldn't help but feel a bit sickened when a child was involved. As she placed a hand on his shoulder, he almost jumped at the sudden contact.

"Let's not get too personal, now." She smiled lightly.

The door was answered by a 50-60 year old Asian man and a 40-50 year old white woman. They both took their badges out to show the couple that they meant business.

"My name is Aaron Hotchner, and this is Emily Prentiss. Are you Mr. and Mrs. Kamato?" Hotch greeted with a question. The woman nodded while the man answered.

"Yes. You must be here about my sister's death. Please, come right in."

As they entered the house, the sound of a TV could be heard from the living room. Emily followed the sound into the room while Hotch followed the Kamatos into the Kitchen. A 13 year-old boy sat on the rug, holding a black videogame controller. His eyes were fixed on the TV, controlling a small overcalled man who was running across the screen and squishing little brown monsters with his hammer.

"May I play?" She found herself say. The boy was startled by the sudden sound of her voice, but quickly recovered. He nodded and handed her a controller as she took a seat behind him on the couch.

"Sure. You can be Luigi."

When she pressed the 'A' button, a taller, skinnier man appeared beside the other. She tried to mimic the boy's moves, and soon played without flaw.

"So, your name's Harold?" She finally asked.

"Yea, but my friends call me Harry." If he had any emotions, he sure didn't show them.

"What school do you go to?"

"St. Kyle's Jr. High. But it's a crappy school. All the teachers are creeps." Her ears perked at his statement. Putting down the controller and grabbing her notebook, she asked,

"Can you give me the names of the teachers who are most _creepy_?"

"Sure." He began. "Mrs. Goodwin, my science teacher. Mr. Kapeheart, my art teacher. Mr. Lefleur, the assistant principal. And Jenny the Computer Technician." She nodded as he spoke, jotting down the names on paper. Her ears then picked up the sound of footsteps and turned to see Hotch standing behind her, signaling that it was time to leave. She got up off the couch and kneeled beside Harold.

"Thank you, Harry." She got up to join Hotch, but he pulled her back down. His small, dark eyes suddenly showed a composure of sadness.

"I know you're here about my mom and dad. Promise me that you'll find who did this to them."

-()-

"I got a list of potential UnSubs." Emily told Hotch as they left the house. She passed him her notebook, which in turn he read. "They're all teachers at Harold's school, St. Kyle's Jr. High. He described them as _creepy_. I'm not sure if he just doesn't like his teachers or if there's something else going on, but I thought I'd ask anyways."

"Thank you, Emily. I knew I could count on you." He complimented her. His praising moved her, making her heart jump. She let out a sigh but quickly regained her composure when she felt him staring at her.

"Er, thanks. What did you find?"

"Nothing much. They did mention that the Yoshihurus talked about a strange hooded person that rode around on a black bicycle in their Neighborhood, and that they suspected this person to be stalking them." Emily was about to speak again, but was interrupted by Hotch's cell. He stepped away to answer it. The conversation was brief, and he soon returned to Emily at their car.

"What is it?" She asked.

"Rossi just called. There's been another murder."

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><p><em><strong>Author's Note:<strong>_** Yes, Emily was playing mario. No particular game, though. Mario Bros. and other related things belongs to Nintendo.**


	3. Chapter 3

=Past=

"_I know how you feel." She began, trying to be as helpful as she could. "When I was younger, I fell deeply and madly in love with this one guy. We had a very intense relationship for a few months, but after a while he disappeared suddenly. Like he was lifted off the face of the earth. I finally found out that he went off to find a house elsewhere for his new wife and kid. I was so depressed, I cried for weeks. We learn to accept these things, though. And I know you can, Hotch." He gave her a partial smile and offered to fill her glass again, but she politely declined. 'Have to drive tomorrow' she stated. He filled his own glass instead and replied to her speech._

"_I care about everyone at the BAU like I care for my family. And I couldn't just leave my family, could I?" The smile she gave him was warm and friendly, unlike any she had given him before. As he looked into her eyes, he noticed a shine to them that he hadn't noticed before. It was beautiful. He had to admit that she was a very attractive woman. But he had never given it much thought before. Or was it the scotch that was making him feel this way?_

=Present=

The victims were found in their home like the previous murder and were also killed with a knife. But this time the victims were of Mexican descent, not Asian. Mr. and Mrs. Gonzales were found lying in a pool of blood on their kitchen floor, stripped down to their underwear. Nothing was moved around, but there was a streak of blood across the floor as if they were dragged.

When they got there, Emily and Hotch immediately saw a new face within the group of familiar profilers. She was an older woman with strawberry blonde hair, blue eyes, and a face full of freckles. At first glance she seemed like your average country girl, but in reality she was a professional city woman who enjoyed buying and wearing expensive jewelry and suits. Hotch knew.

"Guys, this is Detective Alexandra Halls from the Hartford police department. Detective, this is Agents Prentiss and Hotchner." Rossi introduced. The woman smiled and shook each of their hands warmly before speaking.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. The-" She was interrupted by the ringing of her cell, and she stepped away to answer it. Hotch unintentionally listened in to the conversation, and overheard some of the speech. Halls came back to them minutes later claiming that it was a minor work call.

"I don't believe that you're telling the truth, detective. You're a mother, aren't you?" Hotch interrogated. He didn't mean to be rude, but profiling was part of his job and had become a difficult thing not to do. Halls let out a sigh and confessed.

"Alright. I have a 16 year-old daughter who is constantly going to car dealerships and looking at cars without my permission. She calls often when she finds a car she likes. But how did you know?"

"You're wearing a short-sleeved jacket that shows most of your arms. On your left arm, you can just see a tattoo of the names of your daughter and son. I also overheard your conversation. It's alright; I have a son as well." She rubbed her arm instinctively and shook her head.

"You damn profilers and your instincts. Well I suppose that's why you're so great at your job, huh? Now, let's get back to the crime scene. Notice the stab wounds on the victims. There's much more than the previous murder. Usually killers get better as they go, so there's no need for this many wounds. Another difference between this murder and the other is that there are more wounds on the female victim, not the male like last time."

"Well, our victim is definitely psychotic." Emily pointed out. A voice from the next room caught her attention, and she turned to see a woman who was sitting in a chair. She seemed very distressed. "Who's that?"

"That's Rachel James." JJ answered. "She's a friend of Mrs. Gonzales' and the one who contacted police. You might want to go and talk to her."

Hotch and Emily made their way over to the woman and introduced themselves. Reid soon joined them. She immediately started talking, like a jack-in-the-box that was wound up all the way and then opened.

"Sophia mentioned that a woman in a black hooded sweater was riding around her house on a bicycle. That's why she kept Alehandro inside." She explained.

"_Just like the previous murder_." Hotch whispered to Emily. She nodded and jotted it down in her notebook. Reid, who had been thinking for a while, turned to the woman.

"Who is Alehandro?" He pushed.

"Sophia and Ricky's son. He's at school right now. Oh, I don't know how I'm going to tell him!" She broke out into a fit of cries and covered her face with her perfectly manicured hands. But Reid was onto something.

"What school does he go to?"

"St. Kyle's Jr. High."


	4. Chapter 4

=Flashback=

"_Thanks for the talk." He said, joining her by the door. She beamed back and began to button up her jacket._

"_No problem. If you ever need to talk to someone, just call. I'll be there for you."_

"_You don't know how much that means to me, Emily."_

_A long, awkward pause of silence formed between them. The tension grew thicker as time ticked on, their eyes locked in an unbreakable gaze. _

"_Well, I guess I should be going now." She finally said. He nodded and stepped aside so that he could open the door to let her leave. But instead of walking out the door and into the dark street beyond, she stood up on her toes and kissed him on the cheek. _

"_See ya, Hotch." _

_He stood there, stunned. He wasn't sure what gave her the courage to do that. The whiskey, maybe? He ran out of the house and onto the porch, calling her name. _

"_Emily!"_

_But she was gone._

=Present=

After visiting the Gonzales residence, the team was finally ready to give a profile on the led them to the Hartford police station, and they gave the explanation to the other detectives and police officers.

"The Unsub is someone in their mid forties to late fifties that has a very secluded personality; someone who likes to keep to themselves." Rossi began. "They also might misplace things often and be all over the place."

"For example, they might be in one room for a moment, rush off to another room, and then come back to the same room for no reason at all." Emily continued.

"They also have suffered the loss of a child recently and are killing because they want revenge on parents that have a child when they don't." Hotch added, pointing to the photos on the bulletin board behind him. He then stepped back to let Reid speak.

"This person has a connection to a school called St. Kyle's Jr. High as well, whether they work there or their child used to go there. The child they lost is most likely their only child and is a male around the age of 13."

"Look for people that ride bicycles and wear hooded sweat shirts. That's all." The group of officers disbanded when JJ ended the profile. The team left the station soon after and stopped at a nearby coffee shop to take a short break and discuss plans. They all gathered around two small tables while Rossi went and bought the coffee.

"So, we've got our profile. What do we do now?" Halls asked. She idly twisted her wedding ring while she waited for her coffee.

"You know," JJ replied. "Spence's probably right about the Unsub having ties to the school. We should look into that." Hotch nodded in approval and looked at his watch to check the time. _2:30._ They had about an hour before school ended. He just wished that Rossi would hurry up.

As if he had read his thoughts, Rossi came back to the table and began to pass out the cups.

"Alright, I have a small French Vanilla for you detective, a medium one cream two sugars for Emily, a medium caramel mocha with whipped cream for JJ, Earl Grey tea for Reid, nothing for Hotch and a medium black coffee for me. Any objections?"

Everyone shook their heads and thanked him. Reid took a sip of his tea and began to tell his friends about the drink.

"Did you know that Earl Grey was named after the acting British prime minister in the 1830's who always received the tea as a gift? It's been a favorite drink of many people throughout the ages. Such people are Oscar Wilde, Queen Elizabeth the-"

"Thank you, Reid, but I think we know what tea is." Emily interrupted him. The group laughed, much to Reid's confusion. "Why don't you make yourself useful and call up Garcia?"

"Why should I call- Oh, right." He took out his cell phone and dialed a number. It didn't have to ring more than twice before it was answered.

"_Hey, my favorite super-genius! How's it like in Connecticut?" A familiar voice teased._

"Fine, Garcia. I need you to look up the names of employees at St. Kyle's Jr. High who have had a family member die in the past year." Reid instructed.

_"Already on it, hun! There we go. Eight have lost a family member in the past year."_

"Out of those, which have lost a child?"

"_One. A woman named Jennifer McCook. She's a computer technician at the school and also has mild OCD. She lost her son to a snowboarding accident last February. Huh, how sad."_

"Thanks, Garcia." He nodded to the others, confirming that they had their Unsub.

"_If you need anything else, just call me, the Queen of awesome!"_ She exclaimed before Reid hung up. He put his phone back into his pocket and looked up at his team.

"So, what now?" Halls asked, taking a sip of her coffee. Reid turned to the older woman. She brushed a strand of hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear, all the while staring at him intently while awaiting his answer. As Hotch watched them from across the table, he could see that Reid was a bit intimidated by the woman.

"Well…" He began. His fingers tapped against his cup nervously. "Our technical analyst, she brought up names of workers at the school… and narrowed it down to one woman who fits the profile. Uh, her name is Jennifer McCook."

"Well, we should go to the school then. If she works there, she might be there now." Rossi suggested.

"I also have her house number-" Hotch stood up abruptly, interrupting Reid in the process. He pushed his chair in behind him and made his way to the door of the café. Everyone followed suit, puzzled looks masking their faces.

"Emily, Dave, JJ. You're with me. Reid, go with Detective Halls to the Unsub's house while we go to the school." He instructed. They rushed to their cars, Reid following Halls into her car while JJ and Rossi took one of the big black SUVs. Hotch darted to the driver's side of the other SUV and opened the door swiftly, but Emily stopped him.

"Hey, you promised me that I could drive!" She yelled teasingly. He gave her a mock smile and headed to the passenger side.

"I must have forgot. Sorry."

-()-

They reached St. Kyle's at 3:35, just as school ended and students were being let out. They made their way through the crowd of rampaging teens and burst into the school's main office. The older woman at the desk was quite startled by their sudden intrusion and dropped the phone that she had been talking into as they flashed their badges at her.

"Ma'am, we're with the FBI and we're investigating the murder of two of your student's parents." Rossi explained to the woman. "Do you know where we can find Jennifer McCook?"

The woman gasped and her hands shot up to her mouth. "Oh my. Jenny? You- It can't be! She's just so sweet, she couldn't have done it!"

"Please, ma'am. We just need to know where she is."

"She's probably at her car, out in the parking lot. I don't know why she has that old thing when she really only uses her bicycle. The lot is that way, dear."

"Thank you." Hotch said. They then made their way back out the door.

"Good luck!" She called after them.

In the parking lot, they came across a middle-aged woman dressed in a black hooded sweater and dress pants who was strapping a black bicycle onto the hood of an old, red Camero Z28. As she saw the group approach her, she immediately jumped into her car and sped out of the parking lot. The team dashed off to their cars and drove after her. Emily and Hotch drove directly behind the subject while JJ and Rossi took another route in hopes that they could corner her. The woman obviously knew where she was going and took a one-way road out of town. Emily called JJ to alert her where they were going and then tossed her phone onto the back seat as they pulled up to an abandoned warehouse. The woman practically flew out of her car and bolted into the building. Hotch and Emily, guns drawn, followed close behind. They entered a large machine room, and had to be very careful not to run into a rusty welder or a dangling power cord. Although it was still light outside, not much light was able to get through the crumbling holes in the concrete walls of the warehouse. They continued down a dark hallway and into an old office room. They looked in every nook and cranny, and behind every corner. There was no sign of the woman.

"Shit." Emily cursed. "Did she get away?"

"I think she's still in the building. Let's check the other rooms." He replied.

Unfortunately they didn't hear the light footsteps coming behind them. As they turned around to leave, they were hit with a large metal pipe and were knocked unconscious.


	5. Chapter 5

When they came to, the found themselves in a dark room that seemed to be an office that was cleared of its furniture. They soon realized that they were tied up to a pole that went from the floor to the ceiling. Also, they rather uncomfortably found out that they were seated very close to each other wearing nothing but their underwear. Like all the previous victims of this psychopath killer.

"Where are we?" Emily groaned, her head throbbing. The pipe they were hit with had left a huge gash on her forehead. Hotch also sustained injury, his nose bruised and bleeding.

"Judging from the blood stains on the wall," Hotch Began uneasily. "I'd say that we're in the room where the murderer keeps and kills her victims." Emily shot him a worried glance, her dark eyes wide with fear. Both frantically began to tug and pull at their shackles in an attempt to get free, but all they got was extremely frustrated and a nasty rope burn.

"Great. Just great. We're going to die." Her teeth began to chatter nervously, as if she was biting invisible nails. He noted the habit.

Although they were laid under these excruciating circumstances, he couldn't help but stare at her. Never had he seen such a beautiful woman before. Moonlight from the small window in the room danced across her pale skin, highlighting her curves. The black-lace bra with matching bottoms didn't help either.

"Hotch!" Her sharp cry broke his thoughts. She had noticed him staring at her. He apologized and looked away, embarrassed.

Emily didn't usually appreciate people staring at her. Men who came her way always seemed to be undressing her with their eyes. That was the reason why she steered clear of construction sites; she couldn't stand the outrageous comments workers gave her. But if Hotch was looking at her in such manner, she sure as hell wouldn't complain.

She took this opportunity to check him out herself. He was well built for his age, arm muscles rippling as he tugged at the rope. She didn't expect him to be so muscular, but then again his body was always covered in a clean suit. Right now, though, all that covered him were navy blue boxers. Emily gasped once her eyes reached his groin. She was surprised at how much she affected him.

_No._ She shook her head and looked away. _This isn't the time. You shouldn't be doing this._ This was her boss. She knew she had no right to have feelings for him. She swore silently to herself that if they got out of this, she wouldn't have another thought about him again.

"Do you think that she strips her victims because she wants them to perform sexual acts with each other?" She asked abruptly. It was a dumb question, but she wasn't thinking straight. Hotch's arousal grew more, and he crossed his legs in attempt to conceal it.

"No. Reid told me that she was raped by her father in her childhood. The stripping could have come from resurfaced memories of when she was raped." She gulped at the thought of having to have sex with Hotch against her will. At least it wasn't going to actually happen.

As the silence between them resurfaced, as well as an uncomfortable tension. In the years that they had worked alongside each other as friends and as co-workers, this had never happened. Both their lives were on the line, and they were bound to a pole nearly naked.

The weight of it all suddenly fell on his shoulders. And like he always did, he had to lift it.

"Emily." His voice was like a knife slicing through butter. "I'm sorry you were pulled into this situation."

Emily looks up at him with wide, frightened eyes. She does her best attempt at a compassionate smile as black streaks began to run along her face.

"You couldn't have done anything different, Hotch."

"I… I want you to know that you were a valued member of the team, and that it wouldn't have been the same without you. Your skills as an agent were desperately needed at the BAU. You'll die in honor."

"You were the leader, not me. I should be saying those things to you. The team has thrived because of your efforts. But they're strong. They'll survive without you. Us." She takes a deep, shaky breath. "At least my last few hours will be spent with you. I've loved you for a long time now, you know. And I'm a damn fool for waiting until a time like this to tell you.

Surprise mixes with darker emotions that he's feeling right now. Hotch brings his eyes up to hers, and he can see the love in her eyes. Tears pool in his eyes. He's loved her too, and so strongly that sometimes he just doesn't know what he can do about it. Now that he knows she feels the same, he hasn't got the time to love her.

"Many times…" He pauses, searching for the right words. "Many times I've thought of you as more than just a friend. Sometimes when I've had a long day, your image brings a smile to my face. You've been there for me when no one else has. I thank you for that. But my position in the BAU has restricted me to act on my feelings for you. In another reality, I would have in a heartbeat. I love you. It's my fault that we're going to die. I should have been more aware of things…" He trails off as she begins to cry. Moving as close to her as possible, He rests his forehead on hers. "Emily, please don't cry. I don't want my last memory of you to be like that."

"Oh,_ Aaron." _The name sounds strange coming from her mouth.

As their lips touch, the world around her seems to melt away. She wonders if this is what heaven will feel like when she gets there. Nothing matters anymore. There love is what will keep them alive, even through to the afterlife. They've taken too many chances in their life, and this counts as one. It's like playing a game of Russian roulette, Emily muses. You never know when it'll land on you.

Footsteps can be heard pounding off outside. They don't dare stop. As they get closer, shouts are added to the mix. There's a few pounding sounds at the door before the FBI SWAT team storms in, shining their lights around and jabbing their guns in Hotch and Emily's faces. The team shouts "Clear" and leaves, revealing JJ and Rossi.

"It's alright now. We caught her." The latter says. He takes out a knife and swiftly cuts away the rope from Hotch's hands. Rossi helps his friend off the floor and gives him a much needed hug. JJ manages to get the knot undone on Emily's rope, and lifts her up as well.

"Lace? Are you trying to impress someone, Emily?" She laughs, giving her a hug. Emily hugs back and gave her friend a playful slap on the arm. If the agents saw anything when they came in, they sure didn't mention it.

They're brought out to an awaiting ambulance where they're treated for their wounds. Sitting on the back of the car, they huddle together under a single green blanket in the evening Connecticut air. Halls and Reid have joined them and are in the warehouse, trying to find their clothes.

Rossi nears them, along with another man.

"There's someone that wants to see you." He steps back to reveal Derek Morgan.

"When JJ phoned me and told me what happened, I came right over. I'm sorry I couldn't have been there with you. Are you guys alright?"

"We're fine." Hotch answers.

"Derek, you don't have to be sorry. You were visiting your mother in the hospital. You didn't even have to come over here."

"My mother's fine now, don't worry. That woman can get through anything. What matters now is the safety of my friends. So you're sure you're alright?"

"Perfectly sure." Emily rolls her eyes. "If you're so concerned, why don't you help Reid and Detective Halls find our clothes?"

Morgan noticed for the first time that his friends are only in their underwear, and blushes. He agrees and runs off towards the warehouse before his eyes prolong their stay on Emily's body.

"It's good to see that you're in good spirits again." Hotch wraps an arm around her waist, and she snuggles closer to him. The heat radiating from his body is so warm that she feels like the blanket is unneeded now. Everything feels new to her, but also familiar. She wonders aloud what's in store for them now.

"I suppose I should take you out on a date. If Strauss comes and barks at us about this, I'll deal with it when it comes."

"Ok."

"I could take you out for dinner tomorrow night, if that's ok with you."

"I can't Aaron, I'm sorry. I promised I'd go shopping with JJ and Garcia, and I don't feel like telling anyone yet. I can't deal with it right now."

"Alright." He seems mildly disappointed, but not hurt. "How about Friday? I could take you to that new Greek restaurant."

"Sounds good to me." She grins, and he does the same. For once in his life, he's found a woman who can actually love him.

A couple steps away, Rossi and JJ are talking to an officer when JJ notices something. She turns toward the ambulance and notices Hotch and Emily.

"Rossi." She gets his attention. "Have you ever seen Hotch smile like that?"

The Italian man looks in the blonde's direction and witnesses his friends cuddling up with each other, Her head on his shoulder and his arm around her waist.

"Well I'll be. The bastard finally did it."

"What is _that _supposed to mean? …Oh."

"They make a good couple, don't they?"

"Yes, they sure do."

* * *

><p><strong>A great love is a lot like a good memory. When it's there, and you know it's there, but it is just out of your reach, it can be all that you think about. And you can focus on it and try to force it, but the more you do, the more you seem to push it away. But if you're patient, and you hold still, well maybe, just maybe, it'll come to you. –Michael Burns<strong>

* * *

><p><em>Author's<em>_ Note:_ Managed to work Morgan into the end of the story. Sorry this tooks so long! I had almost abandoned this fic, but your encouragements kept me going. Thanks a lot for your support! Hope you enjoyed the ride!


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